Footage of FPC Protest against Jesus Christ Superstar

Free Presbyterian Protest against "Jesus Christ Superstar” at Newry Town Hall

A Free Presbyterian protest took place last night in Newry against the blasphemous musical "Jesus Christ Superstar". The following account is given by Rev Paul Hanna, minister of Mount Merrion FPC, one of the ministers who organised the protest. [Film footage of the protest is included at the end of this report.]

Around 6:30pm on the cold, brisk evening of Thursday 14th March 2019, a crowd of concerned Free Presbyterians started to gather outside the front of Newry Town Hall.

Free Presbyterian Open Air Witness against Belfast Pride

Today the annual open air witness against the iniquitous Belfast Pride took place.

Rev Gordon Dane, moderator elect of the Presbytery, preached from 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Open Air / Protest at Sunday Rugby Match

On the Lord's day afternoon 20th May an Open Air / Protest was held at the Ulster Rugby match held at the Kingspan Stadium. The stadium entry is only a matter of a few hundred metres from Mount Merrion Free Presbyterian Church. 

The Open Air / Protest was led by Rev Paul Hanna, minister of the Mount Merrion congregation. Other Free Presbyterian ministers taking part were Rev David McLaughlin [Carryduff], Rev Paul Foster [Tyndale] & Rev Brian McClung [Newtownabbey].

The Open Air / Protest took place on a area just opposite the main gates of the Kingspan Stadium.

Rev David McIlveen responds to Jeffrey Donaldson's comments welcoming a papal visit

Retired Free Presbyterian minister Rev David McIlveen has responded to MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson's comments welcoming a papal visit.

Rev McIlveen said there will be protests if Pope Francis visits Northern Ireland next year. He said that while the Pope has a right to visit, he can expect some opposition.

The full article can be read here: BBC - Protests planned by Free Presbyterians if Pope visits NI

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson's comments can be read here: Belfast Telegraph - DUP's Donaldson appears to welcome possible Pope visit to Northern Ireland: I don't think the Protestant community reaction would be negative.

The Belfast Telegraph's editorial [no friend of Biblical Christianity] was quick to welcome the change in tone from the DUP MP, see here DUP MP's views on papal visit to Northern Ireland are very welcome and show just how far we've come since 1979.

Police Service of Northern Ireland abandons all semblance of impartiality by joining the sodomite parade in Belfast, thereby loses respect

For the first time uniformed officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland [PSNI] took part in Belfast's sodomite pride parade last Saturday. Garda Siochana officers also took part in the Belfast parade.

In total around forty uniformed officers from Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and other UK police forces joined the march through the centre of Belfast.

Criticism

The PSNI has rightly come under criticism for allowing its officers to join the parade. This is especially so when the the organisers of this pride parade are seeking to overturn the laws against gay marriage in Northern Ireland. The PSNI are seen to be taking sides and refusing to remain neutral on this contentious issue. 

Protest at Sodomite parade in Belfast

Protest Against Belfast Pride Parade

Free Presbyterian Open Air Gospel Witness at the Belfast Pride Parade

Date - Saturday 5th August 2017

Place - Waring Street, Belfast (at its junction with North St/ Donegal Street)

Time - 11:15 am

Leader - Rev David McLaughlin
Preacher - Rev Brian McClung

Windsor Park Stand to be demolished - A costly defiance of God

It has been reported that the Irish Football Association has been advised that they will have to demolish the damaged West Stand at Windsor Park stadium in Belfast. Serious cracks appeared in the structure of the West Stand shortly after the recent Euro 2016 qualifier which was played on the Lord's day.

The report is supposed to have said that the ground has moved around the base of the columns, causing the wall and the beams to also move. As the nature of the structure is top heavy, the stand is leaning on one side over the pitch. 

It has also been acknowledged that it was surprising that nothing more serious had happened when the structure moved. Around 5,000 football supporters were in the stand for the Euro qualifier. It could easily have collapsed with them in it.

The cost of constructing a new replacement stand has been estimated that between £8million and £10million. No doubt a dispute will ensure as to who is going to pay for it.

Protest Against Jesus Christ Superstar

 Last night [Monday 16th February 2015] a Free Presbyterian protest was held against Jesus Christ Superstar, which opened at the Grand Opera House, Belfast. A specially prepared F.P.C. leaflet [click here for an online version] highlighting the slanderous attack upon the person and work of Jesus Christ, contained in this 'rock opera', was distributed to people attending the first performance.

After the leaflets were distributed the group sang the hymn: I am not ashamed to own my Lord or to defend His cause and Rev. Raymond Robinson (Kesh FPC & Convenor of the FPC Government & Morals Committee) led in prayer. 

Video: Protesters claim show makes ‘a mockery of the Word of God’

Click on screen shot below to link to a short video clip of last night's protest

Free Presbyterian Protest

Last night around 70-75 Free Presbyterians protested against this offensive play at the Theatre at the Mill. A letter of protest was handed in outlining our unhappiness at the reversal of the decision to host this production and its play about the Bible [see below]. 

Will the Haass proposals include Public Meetings such as 'Christian Commemorations', 'Gospel Open-airs' & 'Christian Protests'?

A previous attempt to resolve issues, through legislation, surrounding 'parading' in Northern Ireland  did envisage including Gospel Open-airs & Christian Protests. It was back in the spring of 2010 that the then proposed legislation was going to require anyone organising an open-air Gospel meeting or protest, where there was the prospect of more than 50 people in attendance, to have to give 37 and 22 working days notice respectively. Objectors to such events would only have had to give 7 days notice.

These proposals were only dropped after a storm of protest. At the time objections were received from the Human Rights Commission and the likes of Emmon McCann, hardly the frontline defenders of Gospel liberties!

This therefore begs the question whether the Haass proposals this time around will seek to include something similar? In reading through the 'Haass Proposals' the section dealing with 'Parades, Select Commemorations, and Related Protests' is not entirely clear. The document uses a raft of different wording and phraseology. For example, it includes the following words/phrases: 'parading and marching'; 'parades, protests, and events'; 'parades, protests, and other events'; 'parading, protesting, and assembling'; 'parade, commemorate, and protest'; 'parades, select commemorations, and related protests'; 'parades, select commemorations, and protests'; 'parades and other events' & 'parade or select commemoration', etc.

Free Presbyterian protest outside Marie Stopes Clinic in Belfast

A Free Presbyterian protest was held today against the opening of the Marie Stopes Clinic in Belfast. It was led by Rev Robert Omerod, Convenor of the Government & Morals Committee of Presbytery

Protest against Jesus Christ Superstar

A Free Presbyterian protest was held outside the Grand Opera House in Belfast on Saturday afternoon 5th November 2011 against the production entitled: Jesus Christ Superstar. Over 20 people took part in the protest. Other ministers in attendance were Rev. John Woods [John Knox Mem. FPC], Rev. Philip Gardiner [Carrickfergus FPC], Rev. David Priestley [Bangor FPC], Rev. Graham Middleton [Donaghadee FPC], Rev David McLaughlin [Carryduff FPC] and myself.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the first production for the stage in Broadway of this opera whose lyrics were written by Tim Rice and the music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. 

Around 400 specially prepared leaflets highlighting the slanderous attack upon the person and work of Jesus Christ contained in this 'rock opera', were distributed to people attending the final day's performance.

After the leaflets were distributed a short service was held following the protest. After the singing of the hymn: I am not ashamed to own my Lord or to defend His cause, Rev. David McLaughlin (Carryduff FPC) led in prayer. I then spoke on John 5:22,23: For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Two opportunities arose during the protest to highlight our concerns to those involved in this production on the Grand Opera House.  One of the show's producers approached Rev. Priestley concerning the reasons behind the protest. When Rev Priestley objected to the content surrounding the portrayal of Christ's relationship with Mary Magdalene this Directer acknowledged that they had removed these scenes and replaced them with scenes from the resurrection. Another conversation took place with the chief Executive  of the Grand Opera House, who also took one of the leaflets.

The Orange Order rejects the new parades legislation

Much to the annoyance no doubt of the political classes in Stormont the Orange Order is the latest body to join those rejecting the new proposed parades' legislation. 

It is being reported that the Order has snubbed a request from First Minister Peter Robinson to reconsider its stance on parades. The first minister it is reported wrote to Grand Lodge asking them to back the new proposals which resulted from the Hillsborough talks.

The Order rejected the plea with a spokesman saying members felt they had been taken for granted during the political negotiations at Hillsborough.

As previously highlighted on this blog the new proposed legislation on parades is an attack upon our civil and religious liberties. I trust that the Orange Order's objection is principled and not political maneuvering. 

The well being of the gospel in this province is at stake!

Open-airs spared inclusion in new parades legislation

If the report in today's Newsletter is accurate then open-airs and other public meetings and protests will be exempt from the new legislation. 

The reports states that there were 410 responses, with many of them arguing against the inclusion of public meetings in this draft legislation. 

This is welcome news. Thankfully common sense has prevailed. However, it is worth remembering that this type of restrictive legislation should never have been entertained in the first place. 

We highlighted this issue some time ago.

See here: An attack upon our civil & religious liberities

& here - Row flares of Church meetings

The real reason for new restrictions on open-air services and protests

Here is the text of the letter I sent to the Newsletter earlier in the week. I don't know whether it was printed unedited as I haven't seen the printed version yet:

Thanks to John O’Dowd on last week’s Hearts and Minds we now know why the new restrictions on open air services and protests have been proposed in the draft legislation on parades. These restrictions are proposed to placate nationalist resident groups who want a wider remit and more time to object. 

Anyone organising an open air Gospel meeting or protest, where there is the prospect of more than 50 people in attendance, will have to give 37 and 22 working days notice respectively, while objectors will only have to give 7 days notice. How grossly distorted this arrangement is must surely be obvious to all right thinking people.

It says a lot about these proposals when they are receiving objections from the Human Rights Commission and the likes of Emmon McCann, hardly the frontline defenders of Gospel liberties!

It is a sad day when Gospel liberties and freedoms are so casually given up to feed the insatiable appetite of republicans who are long bent on the destruction of our way of life. 

It should be clearly stated in the final legislation that open air religious services and non-parade related protests are totally exempt from these requirements even where they have more than 50 people. 

I also preached on the subject Lord's day morning past when dealing with the Christian's attitude to the state in the aftermath of the general election.